The present invention is directed to a mechanism for mounting a mixer bowl to a mixer body, and more particularly, to a mechanism for pivotably mounting a mixer bowl to a mixer body.
Mixers are used to mix and blend a wide variety of products, such as food, chemicals, etc. The mixers typically include a mixer body having a motor that drives a generally vertically-extending mixing element. The mixers include a bowl that is located below the mixing element, and receives the mixing element and the materials to be mixed. The bowl is typically detachable from the mixer body to aid in loading and unloading the products into the bowl.
In most existing mixers, the mixer bowl is vertically movable such that the bowl can be lowered away from the mixing element and an overhang portion of the mixer body. The products to be mixed can then be added or removed from the bowl, or the bowl can be detached from the mixer body. However, even after the bowl is lowered, it can be inconvenient for the user to access the mixer bowl due to the location and orientation of the mixer body (more particularly, the overhang portion) relative the mixer bowl.
Accordingly, there is a need for a mechanism for mounting a mixer bowl to the body of the mixer which improves the user""s access to the mixer bowl, and is thereby more convenient to use.
The present invention is a mechanism for coupling a mixer bowl to a mixer body such that the mixer bowl can be pivoted away from the mixer body and quickly and easily coupled and uncoupled from the mixer body. The mechanism enables the bowl to pivot away from the mixer body, which improves access to the bowl and is more convenient to use.
In a preferred embodiment, the invention is a mixer comprising a mixer body having a motor for driving a mixing element, the mixer including a bowl for receiving a material to be mixed. The mixer further includes a pin mounted onto one of the mixer body or the bowl, and a mounting bracket mounted onto the other of the mixer body or the bowl. The mounting bracket has an opening sized to receive the pin therein to removably couple the mixer body and the bowl.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.